Reserve-fuel-supply device



Jan. 11 1927. M BiHARRls RESERVE FUEL SUPPLY DEVICE Filed Nov. 14. 1921 F avwmtoz JZZTIZU 5 Rio Qbtom o W M fl Patented Jan. 11, 1927.

nsiren s'rAr s PATENT OFFECE.

MARK B. HARRIS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL MOTORS COR- PORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

RESERVE-FUEL-SUIPPLY DEVICE.

Application filed November 14, 1921. Serial No. 514,961.

The invention relates to devices for insuring a reserve supply of liquid particularly in connection with the fuel tanks of automobiles, and in like relations, and its principa object is to provide a device which shall be extremely simple in construction and operation, in expensive in i'i'ianufacture and assembly and highly ellicieiit for the purpose for which it is designed.

In the operation of automobiles it often happens that the supply of fuel in the fuel tank becomes entirely exhausted, through inattention or forgetfulness on the part of the operator, and the circumstances are frequently such as to render the obtaining of a new supply a matter of great inconvenience. It is therefore of advantage to provide means whereby, after the normal fuel supply is exhausted, a reservemay be easily rendered available suflicient to maintain the engine in operation for at least a few miles travel. In accordance with my invention such a reserve supply is provided for by changing the level from which fuel in the main tank is drawn, the mere adjustment of a lever or the like being sufficient to change the adjustment of the fuel withdrawing de vice from the normal level, at which a reserve supply will be left in the bottom of the fuel tank, to. the einer 'ency level at which substantially all the fuel may be withdrawn.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a fuel tank having associated therewith one form of mechanism in which the invention may be embodied,

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing a portion of the mechansm,

Figure 3 is a planlview of apoi'tion ofthe structure shown in Figure 1,

Figure 1 is a section corresponding to Figure 2 but showing a slightly modified form, and

Figure 5 is a perspective View of a detail of the structure shown in Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, and especially to Figures 1, 2 and 3, 10 indicates a receptacle which may be of any desired character but is shown as of a form commonly employed for fuel tanks of automobiles. A filling opening is provided at 11 which open.- ing is covered by the filler cap 12.

At a suitable location on the exterior of similarly shaped plug 17.

' offset from the axis of the plug 17.

the tank 10 is secured the head 13in which eating with the chamber 1%, as by passa e 16, leads to any usual or suitable form of ample, to a vacuum tank mechanism. The lower part of chamber 1 1 adjacent to sage 16 is of conical form and contains a vided with an axial bore 18 communicating with'a transverse passage having oppoi ite liquid fuel. pumping mechanism, as, for ex-- the point of communication with the pas- The plug is proopenings 19 and 20, and the said openingsbeing so situated as to be capable of being brought into register with the passage in.

The, plug 1'? is formed upon or otherwise rigidly connectedto a rod 21 the upper em of which 'extendroutside the chamber and is bent laterally to provide a handle is. A coiled spring 23 may be mounted above the plug 17 and arranged to be compressed by a screw cap 2a, the latter being centrally apertured to permit the passage theretl'irough oft-he rod 21 and closing the upper end of the chamber 14.

Securedto the lower end ofplug 17-is a tube 25 the interiorofwhich comi'i'iunicates with bore 18. The lower portion ofthe tube is bent as indicated zit-26 or otherwise formed so that the intake end or opening, which may be'provided with a screen 2?. i= 'The head 13 is inounted,as shown, on an in clined portion of thetankwall, or is so shaped that the axis of the tube and supporting plug 17 is inclined to-the- 'iutical.

As a result, the position of thebent or oil'- Set lower end of the tube 25 may be varielh by rotation of the plug and the parts rigidly connected thereto. For example, with the parts in the position shown in full line in Figure 1' the lower end of the tube will benear the lowest point of the interior of th tank in whichposition substantially all the fuel may be withdrawn, opening 20 beingin register with passage 16; whereas, if the handle 22 be turned through an angle of 180 thereby positioning the parts as indicated in Figure 2, and in dotted lines in Figure 1, bringing opening 19 in register with passage 16, the lower end of the tube will be at a somewhat higher level, thus preventing withdrawal of fuel below the level use-with an automobile power plant,

indicated at 28. It the parts are normally so positioned as to draw fuel from the higher mensions of the tank, the are the intake opening is offset from the axis of rotation of the tube,--andthe inclination of the axis to the vertical; and in the applica-' tionsot' the invention to a gasoline tank for the proportions, of course, *ill be pretera so determined as to insure a reserve or i ordinarily suificient to enable the vehicle to be driven a distance oi several'miles.

if desired, the head 13 may be mounted in proximity to the lilling opening so that the handle 22, when set in a position to per mit withdrawal of the reserve supply, will extend over the filling cap as shown in Fig ure 3. In order to remove the cap it be comes necessary therefore to first adjust the parts to a position for withdrawh fuel from the higher level, thereby insuring the proper re-setting of the reserve supply mechanism preliminary to refilling the tank. The parts will be retained in adjusted. posi tion by. friction under the influence of spring 23.

In the'form illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the head 13 is provided wi-tlnacylindrical chamber 14 with which the pipe 15 communicates by passage 16'. Erplug 17 is formed with an enlarged upper .end seated in the chamber 14. The plug is? provided with an axial bore 30, and a transverse diametrical slot 31 in the enlargedlupper portion of the plug connects the bore to the passage 16 in either of two positions of adjustment of the plug. A screw eap or plug 32 closes the upper end ot'chamber let and serves to clamp the plug 17 in adjusted position. The tube 25 is secured'to the plug 17 as in the form-first described. In order to set the tube 25 in the desired position in this embodiment of the invention it is necessary to remove screw cap 32, and rotate the plug 17 by means of a suitable tool inserted in the slot 31, the positioning of the end of the slot in register with the passage 16 serving as an indication 01" the-proper position of adjustment. This tormiof the device is, of course, less readily adjusted than the form first described, but affords the advantage of being less likely to be tampered with by unauthorized persons.

Various other embodiments or modifications in detail of construction may be made by one skilled 1n the art without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims:

I claim:

1. In a liquid supply system, a receptacle, a member extending downwardly in the receptacle rotatable" about anaxis inclined to the vertical,anintake ol'l'set from said axis and adapted to be positioned at a higher or lower level by rotation of said member, means onthe upper end of the member for rotating the same, a filling opening adjacent to said means, and .a Closure for said filling opening, said means arranged to be positioned with reterencc to said closure to prevent removal thereof when the intake is positioned at the lower level.

2. In a liquid supply system the combination oi a tank having an opening in the upper portion thereof, a tubular member extending downwardly through said opening and rotatable about anaXis inclined to the vertical, said member having an in take oti'set from its axis of rotation whereby rotation of said member will position said intake at higher or lower levels within said tank, means connected to the upper end. of said men'iber tor rotating the same, a fitting serving as a closure :tor said opening and in which the upper end 01 said member is. positioned, and a conduit leadingtrom said litting through which liquid may be withdrawn. r

3. The combination of a tueb tank, a pump supply pipe, a plug rotatable about an inclined axis and havingpassages adapted to communicate with said pipe in two positions of the plug, a tube carried by said plug extending :to the lower portion of the tank and having an intake offset from the axis of the plugwhereby rotation ot' the plug will position the intake at diiierentfl levels in the tank, a handle exterior to the tank for rotating said plug, and meanstor securing the plug in its positions of rotativc adjustment.

4. The combination of a fuel tank, a pump, supply pipe,,.a plug rotatable about an inclined XlS and having adapted tocommunicate with said pipe in two positions of the plug, a tube. carried by said plug extending to the lower portion of the tank and having an intake offset from the axis ot the plug whereby rotation of the plug will position the intake at difierent levels in the tank, means providingla chamher for enclosing and. supporting said plug, a cap adapted-to close said chamber and en gage and clamp said :plug in position.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.

MARK B. l-TARRIS.

ltltl 

